Color This Love
by HauntedMoonlight
Summary: Meet Sakura, an introverted painter who communicates through her art. Meet Sasuke, a conflicted but talented artist. 'Because if you think about it, love is the truest form of art.' AU SasuSaku PREVIOUSLY TITLED 24 COLORS
1. Bubblegum Pink

**A/N: **Hi there!

So, this FanFic is based on this really cute manga I read; I basically took the plotline and added a lot of details that go more in-depth on the story. I'm telling you this in advance so I won't get a million accusations of plagiarism haha.

**Title: **24 Colors

**Summary: **Sakura loves to paint. So when she enters Konoha High, she immediately joins the art club with her friend Hinata. However, there are only two members—the mysterious Sasuke and the lively Naruto. Sakura slowly finds herself falling for Sasuke. But what's he not telling her?

**Rating: **T

**Pairings: **SasuSaku, NaruHina

**Warnings**: Characters are a bit OOC (for example, Hinata's unusually energetic and Sakura's the shy, unassuming one). And like I said, this is based on this super cute shoujo manga I stumbled upon. _**If you want to know more about the manga, leave a review and I'll get back to you. Though this first chapter is mostly directly following the manga's plotline, the other chapters will deviate from it a bit more.**_

Also, I'm writing in first-person-POV because of the way the story is written, and to best express the feelings of the main characters. It may sound a bit choppy at times, but please bear with me!

**Disclaimer: **Naruto is 100% not mine!

* * *

"Mornin', Sakura-chan!" A dark-haired girl with sparkling lavender eyes ran towards me.

"Good morning…Hinata."

"Sakura," Hinata admonished, "What's with those clothes? It's finally our high school debut, and you're wearing a t-shirt and sweats?"

I shrugged, my pink hair wafting in the morning breeze. "Hinata, you know I smear my clothes with paint all the time. There's no use buying pretty clothes."

"That's Sakura for you! Still carrying around paints and a sketchbook on the first day of high school. What a waste—and you're such a beauty!"

"Ehh?"

We strolled along peacefully, each of us lost in our respective thoughts.

My name is Sakura Haruno, and I'm 15. Today is my first day at Konoha High. I chose the same high school as my childhood friend, Hinata Hyuuga. We'd been friends ever since preschool, and, while I had my sights set on a prestigious art school, I didn't want to abandon her.

"Wow!" Hinata breathed, taking in Konoha High.

The school consisted of two buildings-a rather old, western structure used for clubs and activities, and a more modern building for the majority of the actual classes. An orchard of cherry blossom trees lined the brick pathway leading to the school.

"Look, look! Sakura-chan, the cherry blossoms are so beautiful!"

I smiled a little, taking in the sight of an energetic Hinata snapping photos of the cherry blossoms as they drifted off with the wind. The orchard really was gorgeous, though; she was right about that.

As Hinata danced around, I became lost in my thoughts. _If I were to paint this scene right now, would it be the azure sky above me? Or the pink cherry blossoms swirling in the breeze? No, _I decided, making a rectangle with my thumbs and forefingers. _I'll mix bubblegum pink with pearl white for the blossoms._

Yep, a storm of flowers.

_The start of something new_…that would be the story—the hidden theme—behind the painting.

Something strange caught my attention. "Hinata, someone's coming."

"Huh? Who?" She stared in the direction of the beginning of the pathway. "Eh? Why is everyone opening up a way for him to pass through? Is it a teacher? An idol? A troublemaking boss of delinquents?"

_I don't think delinquent bosses exist in this day and age… _I thought amusedly to myself, starting to crack up. But my laughter stopped just as quickly as it'd begun.

As he came closer, I detected a faint scent cloaking the boy everyone had allowed to pass. The smell was strangely familiar, almost like—

"Oil paints?" I murmured softly.

The paint-stained boy stared at me, his onyx eyes boring into mine. He was carrying a large sketchbook.

As he passed by, I swore I heard a faint laugh.

Hinata pursed her lips. "I see! His clothes are all paint-smeared, so everyone stepped aside. That's pretty mean…But that aside, Sakura, that's the first time I've seen someone carry around a sketchbook other than you!"

I was still staring after the mysterious boy, my emerald eyes boring holes in the back of his shirt. Did he smile at me?

All I knew for sure was that for a second…our eyes had met.

His eyes were so dark; they made me feel as if I were being sucked into some black hole.

Hinata grinned knowingly. "I wonder if he's in the art club!"

"Huh?"

"Come to think of it, I heard there's a meeting in the auditorium where the clubs explain their activities." Hinata threw her arms around me happily. "If there's an art club, you should totally join!"

I stood uncertainly. An art club? There hadn't been one in my junior high school, but it seemed logical for there to be one in high school.

I decided I wanted to join it…the art club.

Hinata dragged me to the large auditorium, where they'd finished the sports clubs announcements and were starting the second half of the introductions.

An intercom crackled over the buzz of the crowded room. "_Now we have the cultural clubs introduce themselves. First up, the art club."_

"Oh, how lucky! We're just in time!" Hinata exclaimed, pushing forward in the crowd.

_Art club_…I stood on the very tip of my toes, straining to see over the horde of people. There was a dark-haired guy standing on stage with a microphone, hesitating.

_It was that boy_.

Hinata said something about coincidences, but I wasn't paying attention; every part of me was focused on the handsome boy standing on that large wooden stage. As the crowd began to calm down, he spoke curtly.

"My name's Uchiha Sasuke, and I'm the representative of the art club. I don't actually have an explanation for our activities. It's just a club where we draw and paint. We're not interested in stupid people looking to socialize, so we welcome only those with interests. Thank you."

A large _'ehhhh' _rumbled through the mass of people. A group of girls who'd been eagerly glancing at him rolled their eyes and started talking about a popular boy band instead.

I continued watching him however, excitement washing over me like a tidal wave. I finally had a name to match his face.

Just as the indifferent boy started walking away, another attractive guy strode onto stage angrily and whacked Sasuke on the head, causing him to drop the microphone. I winced at the sharp burst of static as the microphone hit the ground. "Baka! We won't be able to get new members this way, you coldhearted teme!"

Sasuke looked up, an irritated expression claiming his normally blasé façade. Before the blonde newcomer could react, the fuming Uchiha punched him.

As the two began grappling, the mob of students stirred up. Several boys yelled obscene taunts and a chant of _'Fight! Fight!' _made its way across the room.

In the midst of their battle, the blonde grabbed the fallen microphone and grinned energetically. "Let me correct the teme; we're the art club! The club was founded last year by the two of us, so there're only two members, me, Uzumaki Naruto, and Sasuke the baka! It's very lonely with only guys, so we welcome all cute girls! Everyone interested in the arts and _me_ should join!"

Half the girls in the auditorium blushed, shocked. As the two handsome art club members wrestled each other off the stage, chatter began spreading. It was obvious that a club consisting of two hot guys was the place to be, whether or not they liked drawing.

However, I was more shocked to see a reddened Hinata. She was suddenly calm as she mused, "That sounds interesting…Maybe I'll join the art club as well…"

_Eh? _What was wrong with Hinata?

The next club, the dance club, was introduced, but most of the girls were filing out of the auditorium. Hinata and I did the same.

"Sakura, hurry up!" Hinata piped up, cheerful again. I was glad the blushing episode was over; the usual Hinata was so much more fun to be around.

"Where are we going?" I followed my friend in the direction of the club application booths.

"To apply for the art club, of course. Those two quite stood out, so everyone is thinking of joining the art club! If we don't hurry, we might not get in!"

_Why is she so hyper about this? _I speculated to myself as I jogged alongside Hinata. _It can't be that she—_

Hinata suddenly screamed in frustration, successfully bringing my head out of the clouds. "_Argh!_" She addressed the large group of girls crowding around the art club booth. "I knew it; they're lining up for the art club! We'll never make it in time!"

A blonde guy stood up, towering over the crowd of enthusiastic girls. I recognized him as Naruto, the guy who was fighting with Sasuke.

"Ah," Hinata exclaimed, remembering him as well. "That's the guy from just now!"

As soon as he opened his mouth, the swarm quieted down. The influence of a handsome guy really was amazing. "I'm terribly sorry, but I discussed it with the teme and, since there are so many people applying for our club, we have to hold auditions for those who want to enter the club!" Naruto wiped his eyes melodramatically. "And we'd gathered so many pretty girls here too…"

A wave of shock swelled through the crowd_. An audition?_

I relaxed. An audition seemed fun. It would also be a good way to pick out the truly talented people from the mass of lovesick groupies.

Naruto continued speaking, although many of the girls started muttering amongst themselves. "Everyone, please draw whatever you like," he held up a sheet of ordinary white printer paper, "On this paper! The best artists will be chosen!"

Hinata panicked. "No way! What should I do, Sakura? I'm not like you; I can't draw!"

Annoyed chatter spread like wildfire, and the group slowly began dispersing. A minute passed, and everybody else was gone, leaving me, Hinata, and the two art club members.

"No wayyyyy," A depressed Naruto wailed, putting his head on the desk attached to the booth. "And we finally had some applicants too!"

"Show me that sketchbook." A rough voice commanded from behind me. I whirled around, only to see Sasuke. When had he gotten so close to me?

"Show me." He asked—no, it was more like demanded—again. His onyx eyes were once again glued to mine.

I was frozen. Memories of a past trip to an African safari with my father surfaced. I recalled seeing a lion stalking an alarmed deer. _This must be how the deer felt, trapped in the lion's steely gaze_, I contemplated, feeling indeed like prey.

My reaction was so sluggish that, before I knew it, Sasuke had grabbed my pink felt-covered sketchbook from beneath my arm—brushing against my waist as he did so—and nonchalantly flipped it open.

"Wait!" I called, making a lunge for my precious sketchbook. "Uhm, I'm really not very good at drawing…"

I was about to make another attempt to grab it back, but the astonished look on Sasuke's face stopped me. Naruto peered over his shoulder, looking cheerfully surprised.

Finally, Sasuke smiled. It was the first real smile I'd seen—in fact, it was the first openly happy expression I'd seen on him. "Do you love drawing?"

I was momentarily taken aback. Should I answer that? Would he tease me, or maybe think I'm strange? I'd never told anyone other than Hinata about my passion for art before. "Well, I'm…not good at talking…so I can't express my feelings into words very well…"

Taking a deep breath and looking at Hinata's sparkling, encouraging eyes for support, I continued. I was aware that my cheeks were now a flaming red, so I squeezed my eyes shut.

"_But_ _when I draw_, I have the feeling that I can really _convey _what I feel. I…love drawing and painting."

"And you?" Naruto curiously eyed Hinata, who suddenly looked uneasy.

"Um…My name's Hinata! I'm not a natural artist like Sakura-chan, but I promise I'll work hard to improve!"

Naruto grinned. "They passed, huh?"

"Then it's decided," Sasuke said. He still looked apathetic, but his voice was a lot lighter. "The members of this year's art club will be us four."

"Four? Only four?" Naruto wailed.

Sasuke glared at him stubbornly. "Paintings are something you draw quietly and privately, right?" He softly handed me back my sketchbook. "I prefer it that way. And anyways, because you started the stupid audition crap, everyone else left."

The four of us glanced at the hordes of people congesting around the other booths. Sasuke was right.

As Naruto protested, Sasuke turned towards Hinata and me. "Follow me. I'll show you to the club room."

We trotted behind him, entering the eerily quiet school. "It's at the corner of the second floor of the old school building." Sasuke explained. His stride was long; I had to nearly jog just to match his swift pace. "It's worn down, but it's pretty elegant."

A calmed-down Naruto grinned and ran ahead of us to open a large wooden door, similar to every other door in the long, dim hallway. "Sakura-chan and Hinata-chan, welcome to our castle."

I stood in the doorway, taking in the room. Large paintings and photographs hung on nearly every inch of the four walls, and six paint-splattered easels stood in the middle of the room. Gigantic piles of paints and brushes rested next to an old rusty metal sink. Chairs were stacked on top of each other in the far corners, and canvases lay abandoned here and there on the floor.

Yes, the room was old and dusty, but it was utterly perfect.

"It has such a retro look!" Hinata shouted blissfully, floating around the room.

Sasuke sat down on a teal stool that had been sitting next to one of the easels. "Alright dobe, I leave the explanations to you."

"You're leaving it to me?" Naruto yelled, outraged. "Geez, you really do everything as you please!"

Sasuke ignored his friend, instead blowing the dust off a set of acrylic paints. Naruto sighed. "Don't let it bother you guys, he's always like that. I swear, he takes lessons on how to act like a grumpy 70-year-old gramps."

Hinata giggled. I smiled a bit, looking at the scowling Sasuke.

"Ah, let's see…" Naruto mused, browsing through one of the many mounds of art supplies. "Well, you can use whatever you like in this room and create whatever you want. The clubroom is open early in the mornings, so come in whenever you like. Feel free to use any materials, too. As you can see, Sasuke and I have gathered quite a lot."

I raised my eyebrows at the understatement. 'Quite a lot' didn't even begin to cover the huge mountains of supplies that filled up a quarter of the room.

Hinata piped up. "Naruto-kun, what are those?" She pointed towards a series of plaster sculptures that looked strangely familiar. Almost like…nude women.

"Oh yes!" Naruto brightened up. "As you can see, I'm into sculpting women! My specialty's the mysteries of the female body. Nice, huh?" He patted one of the semi-finished bodies.

Hinata blushed. As rowdy as she was, she was as innocent as an elementary school student. Things like nude sculptures overwhelmed her.

"And that guy…" Naruto pointed accusingly at Sasuke, who'd picked up a brush and a set of paints and was now fiddling with a large canvas. "…likes painting."

Hearing his name be mentioned, Sasuke turned to us, exposing the painting he'd been working on—a stunning meadow blanketed in sunlight, daisies and bluebells in the long grass waving in the direction the gusty zephyrs wished them to.

I gasped, enchanted. My feet carried me over to the finished canvas. "Amazing! Did you paint this, Sasuke-kun? It's really beautiful!" I stared at the painting. "Such simple colors…" It was true; the majority of the colors he'd used were soft and pale.

Sasuke gazed wordlessly at me. He seemed to want to say something, but turned away from me instead. _Eh? What just happened?_

"Aah!" Naruto said perkily. "That's right, we haven't formally introduced ourselves yet, have we? What're your names?" Naruto grabbed Sasuke, forcing him into a headlock. "I'm Uzumaki Naruto, the hottest guy on campus! And this is Uchiha Sasuke, the ugliest guy on campus! We're both sophomores!"

Hinata hastened to introduce us. "Oh, right! I'm Hyuuga Hinata, and this is my best friend Haruno Sakura! We're both freshmen!"

"Yup, yup," Naruto bounced around the room. "I'm sure glad we got some cute new members! Let's be nice to each other, yeah?"

-oOoOo-

I sat on my bed in my favorite zebra-striped pajamas, petting a purring Mr. Whiskers—my adorable orange tabby cat. A desire to sketch suddenly coursed through my veins, and I grabbed my sketchbook and a sharpened pencil from under my bed. As I drew, thoughts flew through my brain.

_So many things happened today…I entered high school...and joined the art club with Hinata. But most importantly…Sasuke-kun. He looked at me so many times…and seems so brusque but draws so beautifully. I wonder…what kind of a person he really is?_

I looked down at my sketchbook, only to realize I'd drawn Sasuke—the way he looked when he stared so intensely at me. Blushing in embarrassment, I slammed my sketchbook shut furiously and pulled my blankets over my head.

Mr. Whiskers leaped off my bed with a startled _meow_.

* * *

**A/N: **Sakura is so OOC…Sasuke and Hinata are as well. I think the only one _not _OOC is Naruto, haha.

_Well, please review. I tend to be really insecure; I've even deleted some of my works that didn't have reviews because it felt like no one liked my writing. A single review, no matter how small, makes my day, and I promise I'll reply. Thank you._

~**Haunted**_Moonlight_~


	2. Crimson Red

**A/N: **Thanks to everyone who read Chapter 1.

Just to clarify things—there probably won't actually be 24 chapters…I'm betting there'll be closer to 6-10 chapters. It's just that **24 Colors** has a nice ring to it. The title **6 Colors ,** for example, sounds so weird.

**Disclaimer: **Naruto is not mine; this will not be used to profit off the Naruto licensing in anyway.

* * *

Sighing, I paced back and forth on the walkway that bordered the cherry blossom orchard. I had woken up dreadfully early after going to bed at 9 last night due to the sketchbook incident. Mr. Whiskers still looked at me cautiously.

Tired of walking around aimlessly, I decided to go to the clubroom. Naruto did say it was open early.

_It's only 7… _I thought as I walked through the creepy hallways of the old school building. _I wonder if anyone's here yet._

Eager to get out of the dark, creaky hallway and into the bright art room, I walked briskly through the doorway. The room seemed to be empty, though there was a half-finished painting on the floor that wasn't there yesterday.

Curious, I stepped closer to the painting. In my haste, I'd forgotten to turn on the lights.

About three yards away from the canvas, my foot became entangled on something. In the blink of an eye, I was midair—and falling fast. Panicking, I reached out to grab something, but it was too late. "Ahhh!"

_**Thud.**_

Eh? I'd fallen on something. Something soft and warm, like a human body. That couldn't be right; I hadn't seen anyone standing around when I first peeked into the clubroom. It must've been one of Naruto's sculptures, though I didn't think sculptures could be so soft. I looked down inquisitively, right into a set of sleepy onyx eyes.

_No way. Sasuke?_

"Oh." He sat up sleepily, rubbing his elbow. "It's only you."

I opened my mouth to apologize for my rather sudden intrusion, but he moved fast. With a yank, he pulled me onto him. He smirked, daring me to move.

_What? _"No!" I pulled backwards, prepared to leap away.

A chuckle escaped from his mouth, followed by full-blown laughter. His laugh was beautiful, like melted velvet. I briefly wondered why he didn't do it more often.

"I was just joking," He chuckled. "What are you getting all worked up for, hmm…_Sakura?_"

I involuntarily shivered, then blushed. He'd said my name so…sensually. Was he making fun of me? We gazed at each other intently. This was, what, our fourth time staring into each other's eyes? Somehow, the act felt more violating that him forcefully grabbing me.

"Ah." He broke our contact. "Crap…on your chest…"

I looked down. There, on the side of my hoodie, was a large blossoming crimson stain. It looked ominously like blood.

"Your shirt got smeared when it touched my shirt. Shit—it was acrylic paint. It won't go away, even if you wash it. Dammit."

"Ah, it's okay! It's not..."

"But-"

"I don't mind. This isn't one of my favorite shirts, anyways." I stood up. I had to go outside to get some fresh air; my head was dizzy with the heavy smell of paint and thoughts about Sasuke.

Sasuke grabbed my hand, forcing me to stop. "Just sit down, Sakura!"

The frustration in his voice convinced me to stay (along with his warm hand on mine), and I gingerly sat on a wooden stool. "Um, Sasuke, what…"

"I'll draw something on top of it."

"Draw?"

He nodded, grabbing a tube of red paint and a large brush. "Whenever I get paint of my important clothes—which happens a lot—I draw some sort of pattern on top with acrylic paint."

He sat across from me, so close I could see his long eyelashes. "Pull your hair out of the way…and don't move."

I held my hair back, hoping he didn't notice my trembling hands. Sasuke leaned in even closer. Without warning, he squeezed some paint onto his brush and delicately began painting over the crimson stain. I could feel his breathing against my neck.

My cheeks felt like they were reddening once again; they probably were. I always seemed to blush around him.

After a few tantalizing moments—maybe seconds, minutes, or even hours—Sasuke pulled back.

"There." He pointed at the crimson rose that now covered the right side of my hoodie. "That's the image I have of you—because as soon as our eyes meet, you turn red."

My eyes widened, and another telltale blush rippled across my cheeks as he looked directly at me.

-oOoOo-

"—kura! Sakura…_SAKURA!"_

I gasped, jerking back to reality. A bemused Hinata stood over me.

"Geez, what's gotten into you? You've been spacing out constantly since this morning!" She placed a palm across my forehead. "Are you sure you're okay? Come to think of it, you've been wearing that hoodie all day, even though it's gotten warm."

"Um…"

Hinata glanced at my hoodie. "Where'd you get that from, anyways? I've never seen you wear that before. Red suits you!"

Sasuke's words echoed through my mind. _'That's the image I have of you—because as soon as our eyes meet, you turn red.'_

I blushed again, making Hinata frown. "Sakura, I think you have a fever…"

"N—" My reply was cut off by an energetic shout.

"_Sakura-chan! Hinata-chan!"_ Naruto grinned.

Hinata cheered up. "Naruto-kun! And Sasuke-kun too! What brings you guys here?"

"Well, it's club activity time, so we came to pick you guys up!"

Sasuke scowled and smacked the top of Naruto's head. "Ignore him. Actually, we need your help."

-oOoOo-

_Huff. Huff. Huff._

Hinata and I panted in exhaustion as we carried the back end of a huge, burdensome canvas through the school hallways. Even in my fatigued state, I could detect the people around us pointing and staring at us like we had officially gone mad.

"What is…this?" Hinata gasped, sweat running down her face. "It's…so heavy!"

Naruto beamed, easily holding up a corner of the large canvas. "I'm glad, you asked, Hinata-chan! It's the billboard for Konoha High's annual festival! The art club's entrusted with drawing it this year. We have two weeks to finish this amongst the four of us, so let's do our best!"

_The four of us… _A stab of disappointment shot through my heart. It surprised me to find I was sad that I couldn't work alone with Sasuke. It wasn't like I had a crush on him…

_Right?_

* * *

**A/N: **Sakura's so oblivious to her feelings, and Sasuke's a born tease. Total OOC (usually it's Sasuke who's oblivious to his feelings and Sakura who's a tease) but oh well, haha.

Sakura always seems to blush...what's something that shows her embarrassment besides a blush?

Please review.

I'll love you forever. And I'll reply.

_Over and Out,_

~**Haunted**_Moonlight_~


	3. Deep Blue

**A/N: **This chapter's my favorite out of all the ones I've done so far. I think this one's really, really, REALLY cute.

Please enjoy reading this! I hope you guys like this chapter as much as I'd liked it.

**Disclaimer: **Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto, the amazing guy who created the whole series.

* * *

"Alright everyone, listen up!" Naruto clapped his hands, the sound echoing through our clubroom.

The four of us—Naruto, Sasuke, Hinata, and I—were sitting in a lopsided circle of sorts around the huge billboard that, in two weeks, would be the main display at Konoha High's annual festival.

"We're listening, dobe. Hurry up and talk." Sasuke sighed dramatically.

Naruto grit his teeth, but (for once) didn't reply to Sasuke's pointed taunt. I was impressed at Naruto's maturity; maybe he was growing up. "They say this year the theme is 'Radiance and Purity of Love.' The class reps told me they wanted a fresh, youthful feeling, kind of like a mutual confession of love. For this project, we'll split up in groups of twos for now—the buying team to buy paints and the design & rough sketch team. So!" Naruto grabbed me. "Will you go and buy some paints and supplies with me, Sakura-chan?"

I blinked, snapping out of my reverie. Ever since splitting into two teams had been mentioned, I'd been fantasizing about spending time alone with a certain guy—who was unfortunately _not_ Naruto. I shot Hinata a pleading glance.

"Eh?" Hinata rose to action. "I'll go with you, Naruto-kun; I'm no good at design anyways! We'll leave it to the two pros, yeah?"

"Uh…but…" Naruto looked confused.

"…Just go." Sasuke muttered. He grasped my arm, pulling me away from an uncertain Naruto. "The two of us can take care of things here."

Hinata beamed at Sasuke and ushered a bewildered Naruto out the door. "See? Let's go!" She winked on me as she left, dragging a mildly protesting Naruto with her.

I mentally thanked my assertive best friend, but internally I was just as puzzled as Naruto. Why was I so eager to be with Sasuke, anyways? It was just an assignment.

Then it hit me.

The two of us were alone together.

I did want the two of us alone for unknown reasons…but…

My phone beeped before I could get caught up in my irrational thoughts. _Hm? It's a text from Hinata? And she sent me a picture as well?_

I curiously clicked on the buzzing icon and gasped.

The image was of me on the first day of school as we'd talked under the cherry blossom trees. My hair waved in the morning gust as cherry blossoms flew around. I was gazing at Sasuke's back, a rueful expression adorning my profile. Hinata had attached a short message: _Hey Saks! The title is 'The Beginning of Love.' Haha, just kidding! But srsly, good luck to both of you. ;)_

The photo would be perfect for the festival billboard, I just knew it. But…I couldn't possibly let Sasuke see it, could I?

Right on cue, his voice spoke from behind me. "Hey, do you know what the 'Radiance and Purity of Love' is like?"

I swirled around. "Eh? Did you see—"

"That's the theme of the billboard, right? I think this is going to be a bit hard. None of us had any real love experiences besides Naruto, but he's just a shameless player."

"Um…"

His gaze softened. "Oh well, we can think of the design later." He grabbed a strand of my hair playfully. "Let's slack off a bit."

I was speechless, but let him grab my hand and pull me towards a pile of art supplies. He tossed some brushes and rolled-up paintings out of the way, revealing a wooden ladder underneath.

"I don't let anyone in here normally," Sasuke said as he steadied the ladder. "But I don't think I'd mind if it were you."

_What did that mean? _

Before I could overanalyze his confusing words, he helped me up the ladder, holding it for me. I blushed as he climbed up behind me. Thankfully, he couldn't see.

"It used to be a viewing platform back when this building was in normal use," he informed me as we ascended. "But now it's my studio of sorts."

Sasuke held the panel covering the entrance to his studio open, and I stepped in.

_Wow. _I gaped. The first thing I noticed was a sea of colors. Reds, greens, yellows, blues. Thousands of unique colors—some dark, some light, some thick, some thin. Sasuke appeared behind me, and I turned towards him.

"Did you…draw _all _this?"

Sasuke nodded trying to hide a smile. I could tell he was secretly proud. "I guess I'm the same as you—I can't communicate my feelings very well. That's why I draw pictures instead of putting feelings into words."

He looked into my eyes as he said this. Fighting to keep yet another blush away, I leaped towards him. "I…I, I feel the same! I mean, I just really _realized_ it after hearing you say that…but it's the same for me! That's why I draw! Thank you! You really are amazing, Sasuke!"

In lieu of a reply, he turned his head, a faint pink spreading across his cheeks.

Huh? I remembered him doing something similar earlier, when I complimented his painting.

"C-Could it be that you're feeling shy?" I walked closer to him.

He glowered at me, but it wasn't a malicious glare. "…Idiot."

_No way, _I told myself. "You really are feeling shy!"

Sasuke retreated, covering his face with one exasperated hand. I followed him relentlessly.

"Seriously," I giggled. "Please don't hide it!"

"Hey…stop…"

"Show me!"

_Ah. _My feet once again became entangled with his, and in an instant, I was on his lap, our face inches apart.

My heart raced. _What should I do? _

Slowly our faces drew closer together, as if propelled by some magnetic force. I could see the flecks of grey in Sasuke's onyx eyes, and then—

"Heeyyy, Sakura! Sasuke-kun!" Hinata's cheerful voice rang out from beneath us.

Sasuke was the first to pull away. "…Ah. So they're back. That was quick." He murmured.

I sat, unmoving, on his lap.

"Where are you guys?" She called out. "Oh! There's a ladder here!"

Naruto's voice chimed in. "Teme's studio is on the third floor."

"Then let's try going up there, shall we?"

I heard Naruto's heavy footsteps clomp up the rungs. "Sakura-channn, I'm coming!"

Before either Naruto or Hinata appeared from underneath the panel, Sasuke silently stood up and offered me his hand, his eyes filled with some unspoken question. I hesitantly took his proffered hand and, suddenly, we were running to a small nook hidden from view.

"Oh," I heard Naruto pout. "I thought they'd be here, but…"

"They're not there?" Hinata called from the bottom of the ladder, presumably holding it.

"…No. I don't think Sasuke would show someone his studio anyways. They probably just went to take a snack break or something." I heard him slide the panel covering back into place and cautiously step down. "Let's just wait for them downstairs."

I exhaled the breath I'd been reflexively holding for so long.

All of a sudden, I was only too conscious about my position. Sasuke's arms were tightly wrapped around my shoulders. I looked up, only to find that he was looking down at me, his gaze soft. The deep blue sky backlit his face.

"Sasuke," I looked down, as if doing so would cause my blush to disappear. "If the paintings you draw are in place of your words…"

His intense eyes that I'd gotten to know—and love—just continued watching me.

"…What meaning…does this red flower have…?" I paused, suddenly unsteady. I grabbed onto his sleeve to balance myself. "Can I think it means 'I love you?'"

* * *

**A/N: **So Sakura finally admits her feelings!

Haha, you thought they were gonna kiss, didn't you? I'm too evil to allow you guys that!

Please review, it helps me update faster!

Thanks!

~**Haunted**_Moonlight_~


	4. Pale Lavender

**A/N: **Haha, well that was quite a cliffhanger.

Enjoy! And remember, happy endings take a while to achieve. This story's not finished yet…

**Disclaimer: **Naruto is not mine in any way. Or else SasuSaku would totally be canon right now…

* * *

"_Can I think it means 'I love you?'"_

Sasuke stood immobile in front of me, my daring confession ringing in both our ears.

"…Ah! I'm sorry, what am I saying?" I turned around to hide the tears threatening to overflow. Shoot, what if he thought I was a crybaby? "Sorry. Please forget what just happened."

He was still silent.

"I'm…going down first. Naruto and Hinata must be worried."

I scrambled down the ladder, my tears blurring my vision. Thankfully, neither Hinata nor Naruto was in the empty art room. I didn't think they'd believe my excuse of allergies.

_Idiot! _I berated myself, wiping away my tears. _Idiot! That was just like…telling him I love him…_

"Oh?" Hinata appeared in the doorway. "We've been looking for you, Sakura!"

"Hinata…"

"Where were you? And where's Sasuke-kun?"

A new wave of salty tears was starting to spill. I didn't want to face a flurry of questions, though I knew I'd have to if Hinata and Naruto discovered my watery eyes. "I…"

Before the tears could run down my still-reddened cheeks, a masculine body stepped in front of me. Sasuke. My heart thumped, even as I commanded it to still.

"Why'd you guys come back so early?" Sasuke shielded me, giving me time to wipe the last of my tears away before he stepped off to the side.

"Ah," Naruto rubbed his head apologetically. "I forgot my wallet in the club fund. You have it, right, Sasuke?"

Hinata smiled at me conspiratorially. "As soon as we have it, we're leaving again."

_We were going to be alone again?_

"…We're going as well." Sasuke spoke softly. "We don't have any design ideas anyways. Let's all go together."

"Eh…well…" Hinata looked uncertainly from Sasuke to me.

"Sure!" Naruto agreed enthusiastically. "The more the merrier!"

Pain flooded me. _He didn't want to be alone with me. _What was this feeling in my chest? It was as if all the colors in the world had evaporated.

-oOoOo-

"'Radiance and Purity of Love,' huh?" Naruto mused. "We should decide on a few colors that would fit the theme."

"It's love, right? Pink would be great!" Hinata cheerfully gave her opinion. She and Naruto started debating about shades of pink and violet. It was good to know that they were getting along, at least.

Meanwhile, I stood in the background, my dulled eyes blankly surveying the arts supplies shop we were in, looking at everything and everyone but Sasuke.

Hinata waved at me. "Hey, Sakura, don't'cha think so?"

_What?_

"The image for a design about love…I think a storm of cherry blossom petals would fit the whole theme perfectly!"

_Ah…the picture she'd sent me…_

"How should I say it?" She continued. "It gives off the image of a fated meeting, perhaps? Like…the beginning of everything!"

_Stop, Hinata! Don't…_

"Just imagine it, guys! In a storm of cherry blossoms, a boy and a girl pass by each other, and…"

"Um!" I interrupted her. By now, Sasuke was staring at me with that same look he'd always given me. Only now, instead of making my heart melt, it made my heart pound with a dull ache. "I'm…going to the restroom."

I dashed off, tears stinging the corners of my eyes again. After a minute of sprinting past startled shoppers, I stopped, the sound of my breathing eclipsing the sound of my sobs.

"Whoa!" Naruto merrily whistled behind me. He'd followed me… "The restroom's not here, ya know?"

I just stood there, my back to him.

"Sakura-chan? Sakura-channnnn. I was just teasing you—" He quieted down, finally seeing my flurry of tears. "…Shall we sneak away from Hinata-chan and the teme? You can't go back there anyways; your face is a bit wet right now."

-oOoOo-

"Um…Naruto-kun…Is it okay to do something like this?" I murmured, trotting besides a grinning Naruto. The wind felt good; it dried my tears as if nothing had ever happened.

"It's fine, it's fine." He laughed my concern off. "I sent Sasuke a text saying you had some anemia so I'm walking you home."

_Sasuke. _Yet another poison-tipped arrow sliced through my cracked heart. "Uhm, I…"

"The reason why you were crying…It's because of that unsociable teme, right?"

I stared at Naruto. _Unsociable…I'd never thought of Sasuke as unsociable. He was the same as me, after all._

Naruto mistook my stare for something else. "Sorry, I know you probably don't like me prying. But a while ago, when Hinata and I were looking for you and I climbed up to the studio…I noticed you two. Moreover, you guys were _hiding_!"

I blushed. "I-It's really not like that! That was just because we were stuck about the design for the billboard and didn't want to disappoint you guys!" I slowed down. "We just…decided to take a small break and…I said something like a…love confession to him." Fresh tears were gathering again; at this rate, my eyes were going to be red and puffy tomorrow. "My mind's all messed up now. It's the first time I've felt this way…"

"Yeah." Naruto replied, unusually solemn. "Love's a difficult thing. You get too serious about it, and your heart ends up broken."

_Heh? _"Uhmmm, are you seriously in love with someone, Naruto-kun?"

Naruto pretended to look offended. "What do you think I am, an old man?"

"It's not like that…! Sorry, but, you make lots of female bodies, so I guess…I kind of think of you as a playboy…Wait, sorry, I mean—I feel like you're already…_used_ to girls…so it's like, um…"

His eyes softened, and he pointed towards the top of a large stone staircase looming above us. "Let's climb up there, Sakura."

"Huh?"

"Practice saying what you want to say," He exclaimed. "If you shout it from all the way up there, the embarrassment will be blown away with the wind!"

I followed him up the stairs like an obedient dog following its master. When we reached the top, Naruto took a deep breath.

"_LOVE, FUCK OFF. WE DON'T NEED YOU!"_

My tears stopped as I looked at Naruto, wide-eyed. Underneath us, pedestrians and passersby bemusedly glanced at us.

"Naruto…"

He patted my head encouragingly. "It's okay even if you say what you want to say. If you feel you've troubled someone, just continue troubling them. If something feels painful, let it be painful. If you love someone, just unconditionally love that person. Just turn feelings you can't hold alone into words, and share them with the one you want to share them with."

Naruto paused, and then looked at me seriously. His deep cyan eyes were beautiful, but they felt off. "I want to know…your feelings, Sakura. The happy ones…and the painful ones. Let me help you carry your feelings. Say them properly, Sakura-chan. Do your best."

_Ah…Just now, the colors of the world returned to me. The kind, comforting golden yellow, the color of the cheerful rising sun. Naruto-kun's color._

It felt as if I were swept away by a sudden rush of bravery and energy. Inhaling, I yelled, the back of my throat aching. "I LOVE YOU, YOU ANTISOCIAL ONYX-EYED BIG IDIOT!"

Laughing, I ignored the pointed stares of the people around me. "Wow, I was able to say it. I…feel really refreshed. Thank you, Naruto-kun!" I beamed at Naruto. He really was a good guy.

Naruto opened his mouth as if to reply. Instead, he grabbed me into a big bear hug.

Behind his shoulder, I could see Sasuke standing there, helpless.

And next to him was Hinata.

Her pain was reflected in her large pale lavender eyes.

* * *

**A/N: **Well, that wasn't Sakura's best day…

Don't worry, guys. This _is_ a SasuSaku fic after all. Don't lose hope yet! Chapter 5 will be up tomorrow, I promise.

I hate depressing stories, so please believe in this story's happy ending. Even though there'll be more unhappy surprises in the future.

I'm thinking of doing two more chapters. Maybe there'll be an epilogue or two though; it's so fun to write about the futures of my characters.

_Review_!

~**Haunted**_Moonlight_~


	5. Slate Grey

**A/N: **In my efforts to get this finished, I've been neglecting some of my other stories. So if you are a reader of one of my other on-going stories, I apologize. I promise I will update **Emerald Meets Onyx **by tomorrow. The rest will be updated sometime in the next week.

If you're interested in more of my work but don't like waiting for updates, try my SasuSaku oneshots: **Lust, Kissing Booth, Last Friday Night, **and **Benefits of Horror Movies**.

Thanks for supporting my FanFics, haha. Sorry for being crap at updating.

In return for all my late updates, I'll reward you with an eventual epilogue to this story. I have most of the chapters plotted out already, so don't worry!

**Disclaimer: **Last time I checked, Naruto didn't belong to me, regretfully. Too bad.

* * *

I was frozen in Naruto's embrace for a scant second, my horrified eyes locked on Hinata's.

"…N-No!" I cried out, pushing Naruto away.

He looked at me, and for a moment I could see why Hinata fell for him. Here was the boy who'd helped me escape, the boy who'd given me strength, the boy who sincerely wanted to help me. The sweet guy cloaked in a blanket of warm golden yellow.

_But Sasuke…_

"_Excuse me_!" I dashed off in the opposite direction from Naruto, Hinata, and Sasuke. Footsteps pounded the asphalt behind me, but I didn't dare look back to see who was giving chase.

Finally, a soft hand grabbed mine. "Sakura!"

It was Hinata.

"Sakura, if you run away like that, I'll feel sorry for Naruto-kun…" She smiled sadly at me. "…so he likes you, huh?"

_No! _"Hinata, that's not—"

She sighed, but it didn't seem to be an angry sigh. It was a resigned sigh. "It's true, Sakura. If he didn't like you, after all, he wouldn't hold you like that."

I was speechless. She was right.

"It's alright, it's alright. I'm glad that happened."

What?

She beamed happily. "It seems Naruto-kun is more serious about love than I thought, which is good. When he falls for me, I'll make sure he's serious all the time!"

"Hinata…"

"Silly! Don't look so down!" She pinched my nose mischievously. "I'm gonna try even harder, y'know? Liking someone doesn't mean that person will like you back. That's normal! But you've just gotta try, try, try."

Hinata was right.

_I'll try harder. _

_Try harder to make my love a mutual love._

-oOoOo-

Gingerly, I pushed the door to the art room open. The fluorescent lights were on, illuminating Sasuke's face as he indifferently glanced at me. Something seemed off.

"…What?" He smiled a little, but it didn't reach his eyes. A phony smile. "It's only 7 in the morning, you know?"

"Um…that is, I…" Could I really say it?

He swept closer to me, discarding his tube of paints on the floor. "'I love you, you antisocial, onyx-eyed big idiot.' Was that referring to me?"

All of my carefully mapped out words were forgotten. "Um…y—"

"Sorry." His onyx eyes stared at me just as they always did, but there was no warmth or feeling in his gaze. It was a guarded, closed-off look. It was a look that made my heart ache all over again. "…But I don't have an answer for that. It's trouble me if you were emotionally attached to me like that."

His eyes continued probing me, but I didn't move or react. The blush wouldn't come; on the bright side, the tears wouldn't either.

I suddenly realized what had seemed wrong; the lights made his eyes appear slate grey. An emotionless shade of slate grey.

-oOoOo-

I sat alone in the corner of my homeroom, my head on my desk. It was club activity time, but I had opted not to go. Hinata had taken one look at my face and decided she wouldn't pester me, instead saying I looked a little down on the weather and should go to the infirmary while she went to the art club.

Thank God for best friends.

Just as I was considering ditching class early, the intercom buzzed and came to life.

"_Due to a typhoon coming in, all club activities will be suspended. I repeat: due to a typhoon coming in, all club activities will be suspended. Please hurry up and arrange for a parent or guardian to pick you up."_

The real-life storm seemed to mirror the one in my heart.

-oOoOo-

Mr. Whiskers purred and mewled as I ran a brush through his tangled fur, as I'd been doing for the past half hour. Sighing, I put the brush down, earning a glare from Mr. Whiskers.

_What would I do at a time like this? _I mused silently to myself, ignoring the pointed meows from Mr. Whiskers. _That's right—I would draw. I'd put all my lost feelings into a picture._

Tears sprang to my eye as I finished my tenth rough sketch. "…Why? They all turn out to be the same picture…"

His face when he'd rejected me.

"Sakura-channn!" My mother called from downstairs. "A boy from school's come to see you! He says he's in a club with you. I sent him to your room!"

_Eh? No way; Sasuke?_

The door to my bedroom creaked open.

It was Naruto-kun.

"Hey! Feeling better, Sakura-chan?"

"Naruto…kun…"

He laughed ruefully. "You look disappointed, huh?"

"…"

"I got your address from Hinata-chan and came here without thinking. But…" He eyed the spread-out group of sketches that lay beside me on the bed. The sketches of Sasuke. "…looks like I came here to be rejected."

My eyes teared up, and my already weak emotions frayed. Not only had I been declined by Sasuke, but I was causing both Naruto-kun and Hinata so much pain. "I'm sorry…I…"

"I know."

"I'm glad—really glad—that you're so nice to me, but no matter what…I…No matter what, it's still Sasuke..."

He looked right into my eyes with those cerulean blue eyes of his. "I was prepared for rejection from the beginning, Sakura-chan, you know?"

Tears ran down my cheek as I gave him a surprised look.

"It's because you are so similar to each other; you and Sasuke. I'm jealous. Whenever something emotionally draining happens, you two put it down in drawings and pictures."

"Um…"

He grinned conspiratorially at me, and I knew we were friends again. "He's drawing right now, too. I saw him when I passed by the art room. Do you want to go see him, Sakura-chan?"

-oOoOo-

An ocean of thoughts jumbled through me as Naruto-kun escorted me back to Konoha High, but I didn't pay much attention to them. Instead, I gathered all my courage and opened the art room door.

It was dark, much darker than I thought it would be. But my eyes still found him in the middle of the room.

"…Why are you here…Sakura?"

"I—I heard from Naruto-kun that you were still drawing here."

He slowly straightened up and reached for the light switch. "Don't come. If you come any closer, you'll step on it. Because everything on the floor are the pictures I drew."

The lights slowly hummed to life, illuminating dozens of drawings and paintings of crimson flowers. Hundreds and hundreds of those red flowers…the same one he'd drawn on me.

Sasuke noticed my shock. "When I think about you," he sighed. "All of my pictures turn into flowers."

Finally, he looked me straight in the eyes for a moment before he turned away. "I don't know what it means though."

Resisting the urge to hug him, I slowly stepped around the mass of flowers and leaned my back against his.

"They're really beautiful," I whispered. "When I do this, it's as if we're in a field of flowers."

We sat like that for hours; our backs to each other, our hands slightly overlapping.

In that instant, I understood why I was so attracted to him and why Naruto-kun was so jealous.

It's because Sasuke and I didn't _need _words.

Just sitting there, being together in peace as the sun came up, was enough.

* * *

**A/N: **Awww, this chapter makes me smile and feel gooey inside.

Please leave a review; it's sort of saddening to see that I only have, like, one. Haha, the only reason I'm even continuing this story is because I personally like it, though I guess others don't.

Thanks to whoever did read this, though!

~**Haunted**_Moonlight_~


	6. Pure White

**A/N: **This chapter will be the last, but I'm planning _at least_ two epilogues/omakes. One will be a 'Hinata's POV' style chapter and the other will be an epilogue of what happens.

IF I get positive reviews, I may add another omake.

_**Please read my A/N at the end of this story, it features important info about the epilogues/omakes.**_

**Disclaimer: **Naruto is property of its rightful owners, who are incidentally not me.

* * *

As dawn raced towards us, Sasuke just continued drawing those beautiful flowers.

I sat beside him, quietly watching him draw, all the while wishing that morning wouldn't come.

_In the end, I didn't have time to go back home and change_, I sighed to myself as I emerged out the restroom. We had club activities first period of the day. _I hope no one notices, especially Hinata…_

"Yo, Sakura!" Hinata barreled into me. "Found ya!"

"Oh, hi Hinata..."

"Eh? Why are you wearing the same clothes as yesterday?"

I flushed. Why did my best friend have to be so observant? "…That's 'cause…actually, last night, I sort of stayed at school with Sasuke in the art room…"

"You guys are going out now?" She exclaimed excitedly, jumping up and down.

"T-that's not it! He doesn't like me…or anything like that."

_We don't have mutual feelings, _I stubbornly thought. _Well…he didn't give me an answer—though he did draw a lot of flowers for me…_

Hinata continued her animated chatter as we neared the clubroom. Inside, I could vaguely make out Naruto talking, presumably to Sasuke.

"…Did you say that to Sakura-chan, teme?"

I froze, and Hinata's ears perked up. She had the good grace to whisper instead of speaking in her normally loud voice. "Hey, they're talking about you, Sakura!"

The two of us silently peeked into the art room. Sasuke and Naruto stood there, their backs to us.

"But then," Naruto continued. "…I feel sorry for her, don't you?"

Sasuke didn't respond.

"I'm sure she'll be devastated to hear that you're studying abroad."

_What?_

Hinata clattered into the room. "What was that about? You're studying abroad, Sasuke-kun?"

Naruto turned towards us, surprised. "Ah, Hinata-chan. And…Sakura-chan."

At the mention of my name, Sasuke swiveled around and stared me squarely in the eyes. "I decided that a long time ago."

He approached me. "I'm going to study abroad, maybe in England, and I'm going to study art. I'll be going in the spring of next year, so I'll only be here for another year."

_No! This could not be happening. It had to be a bad dream. _"Another year…before you become a senior? You won't even wait for graduation? There's no need to be in such a hurry—"

"Haruno-san."

I paused. He'd never called me Haruno-san before. It was too cold, too detached. It made me want to shiver.

"I'm sorry."

I couldn't do anything. I could tell from the regretful look in his eyes. No matter how much I loved him; no matter how much he was possibly attracted to me. I was powerless to stop him from leaving.

_I wasn't enough to make him stay._

The realization knocked me off of my feet.

I ran.

"Sakura-chan!" I could hear Hinata call my name from the doorway as I sprinted down the hallway aimlessly. Once safely outside, I leaned against an oak tree, panting.

Memories of my time with Sasuke floated before my eyes.

He'd always turned his eyes from me. Now I knew why. Even from the beginning…his answer had been already decided. It wouldn't do any good to cry over it; I had to be strong. I needed to show him that I wouldn't break down over this, no matter how much I wanted to.

I reentered the art clubroom with a resolved heart and a resigned glimmer in my emerald eyes.

"Sakura!" "Sakura-chan!" Hinata and Naruto's relieved cries welcomed me.

"…Sorry to make you worried." I stepped in, looking at everything but Sasuke. I knew that if I focused on him, the tears would inevitably come. "I needed some fresh air. I'm fine now, I guess I'll draw something."

They weren't fooled in the slightest. "…Sakura…"

"We haven't made any progress on the billboard for the festival yet, have we? I guess I'll work on that."

"Sakura-chan, you don't have to force yourself," Naruto frowned.

"That's right! Is this the time for you to be drawing?" Hinata asked, her voice lowered to a murmur so Sasuke wouldn't hear. "You have more to say, right?"

'_I love you.' I'd already said all that I needed to say, and it had been hopeless, like fighting against fate. The only thing left that I could do…_

"…Naruto-kun! Hinata!" I hesitated, wanting to include Sasuke's name but not trusting my own emotions. "This may be a selfish request, but…'Radiance and Purity of Love'…Is it okay if I draw it?"

They looked shocked, but adhered to my request. Even if they'd agreed out of pity, I was still thankful.

Sasuke's words repeated in my mind. _"Instead of putting things into words, I draw pictures."_

At the very least, I wanted to return the favor for drawing those red flowers. I would put my feelings into a painting, a symbol of my first love.

"A painting of the cherry blossoms on the day we met?" I murmured to myself. "…No. It's not that simple…"

_The moment I met him, the world turned bubblegum pink. Then, as I fell for him, the world turned a deep crimson red. As we got to know each other, everything became a deep blue. _

Slowly, my brush graced the canvas.

-oOoOo-

I rubbed my sleepy eyes, grinning. Finally, the billboard was finished. On it was a portrait of Sasuke's back from the photo Hinata had taken. Rainbow colored cherry blossom petals swirled around him, giving the painting a romantic edge.

I just knew that it was perfect for the annual festival.

_It's perfect…_I thought as my droopy eyelids fell. _Perfect…_

-oOoOo-

Sasuke walked into the clubroom, stopping when he saw the large billboard propped against the wall. A snoozing Sakura slept next to it, paintbrush still in hand.

"What is this?" His eyes widened in surprise. "It looks just like me…"

He noticed the phone lying near the slumbering Sakura and tentatively picked it up. Displayed on its glowing screen was a picture of Sakura, her eyes fixed on his back as he walked past her.

The first day of school.

"Seven colored cherry blossoms, huh…"

-oOoOo-

I jerked awake, alarmed. Sasuke's warm voice still rang in my head. It felt as if I'd heard him say something just now.

_Stupid. _I chastised myself. _You're dreaming about him now? Get real, Sakura…_

I lazily sat up, running a hand through my hair, realizing too late that my hands were stained with paint.

_Great_.

Out of the blue, I noticed a paper on the floor next to me. On it was a crimson flower.

I scrambled to my feet. Sure enough, there was a trail of papers leading to the secret ladder Sasuke had showed me. On each sheet of paper was a red flower, identical to the red flower Sasuke had drawn for me.

"Sasuke!" I yelled, my shout echoing around the empty artroom. I darted up the rickety ladder and into Sasuke's studio.

Sasuke slowly turned towards me, overbearing emotion in his onyx eyes. He gingerly stepped out of the way, revealing a large painting of me. More specifically, a painting of my profile.

It was an exact replica of the me in Hinata's photo. Rainbow-colored cherry blossom petals also whirled around me, giving the scenery a perfect likeliness to the scenery in my painting of him.

"There are things that can't be conveyed if I don't put them into words, so I'll tell you." Sasuke's voice seemed rough, almost like he was nervous. "…Actually, it all started in the beginning.

"The moment I met you, Sakura, the pink of the cherry blossoms became deeper; the sky was bluer; and a crimson flower bloomed in my heart.

"I didn't want to leave you. In fact, I almost considered turning down the scholarship to study abroad, even though I'd never get a chance like that again. Your smile was enough to make my day.

"I wonder if that's what they call love…?"

He smiled ruefully at me, and finally the tears began.

"Sasuke…"

He softly grabbed me and drew me close to him. His lips slowly lowered onto mine, a perfect fit.

All I saw behind my closed eyelids was a pure white. The color of an empty canvas, honest words, and unfiltered love.

My radiant, pure love began on a windy morning.

**A/N: **Writing this chapter was like taking a big bite of a fluffy, sweet, perfect piece of cotton candy. Seriously, it's one of the fluffiest things I've ever written, and that's saying a lot. I hope it was to your liking.

**But on a more serious note: **_**Please leave a review voting for what the epilogue should feature-**_

_**Choice 1: **__**An overview of Sasuke, Sakura, Hinata, and Naruto enjoying the festival—until both couples sign up for the Best Couple competition. Who will win?**_

_**Choice 2: **__**Sasuke and Sakura plan to go on a date, but Naruto hears about it and convinces Hinata to help him spy on them and interfere with the date.**_

_**Choice 3:**__** A guy who has a crush on Sakura gets on Sasuke's nerves.**_

_**Choice 4: **__**Your opinion! Offer an idea, and I'll get back to you!**_

**Please vote; it'll take a minute of your time at most. I will reply to each and every review, fo'sho'.**

_Thank you!_

~**Haunted**_Moonlight_~


	7. Omake: Hinata's Rainbow

**A/N: **Welcome to **Omake: Hinata's Rainbow**.

This isn't really a chapter, it's just a scene between Naruto and Hinata. Because this is so short, I'll probably do two other omakes/epilogues.

However, you may have to wait a few days because my arm is hella sore from tennis. I played for a few hours straight and now it's numb. I'm pretty much forcing myself to type this before my arm completely dies on me.

Remember, this short omake is completely in Hinata's POV. It occurs when Sakura's painting the billboard for the festival.

**Disclaimer: **Naruto and its characters are not mine.

* * *

I was struck by Sakura's sudden request to draw the entire billboard singlehandedly, but complied with her request. Sakura was a shy—albeit beautiful and spunky—girl, and usually didn't ask for things unless she was certain.

And I, for one, was certain this had to do with Sasuke.

Uchiha Sasuke, the unsociable, stubborn bastard who'd toyed with Sakura's heart.

"Hina-chan!" Naruto called after me as I left the clubroom for a break. I could tell Sakura wanted to be left in peace.

"Naruto-kun…"

Naruto. I loved his name, his personality, his optimism. In fact, I'd loved him ever since I first heard his voice. Everything about him made me happy, but I could see why he fell for Sakura. Sakura was gorgeous, pure, and too sweet for her own good. Exactly the type of girl Naruto needed.

I didn't have an ounce of bitterness reserved for Sakura, of course. She never wanted to hurt or betray me; in middle school, she'd rejected a guy we both liked because she felt I liked him more. Our friendship was too deep for a boyfriend to ruin. Sure, every pair of friends says that, but I knew that in our case, it was true.

I supposed I was just jealous, pure and simple.

"Wanna go get something to drink? My treat!"

I forced a smile. "Baka! You still owe me from last time!"

"Oh. Oh well, still my treat!"

"How about this—let's race to the vending machines. Loser has to buy the winner lunch tomorrow!"

Naruto grinned, his eyes shining at the prospect of a competition. Or better yet, a free lunch. "You're on!"

As he spoke, I took off, the cool wind flitting against my face. I could hear him yelling in protest behind me.

He got closer and closer, but I could already spot the line of vending machines. With a final spurt of energy, I reached out and touched the machines a split second before him.

"I win!"

"Awww, no fair, Hina-chan!" Naruto sulked.

I smiled, for real this time. "Don't be a sore loser!"

He griped and complained as I bought a bottle of water and slowly sipped it. After a few minutes, he calmed down and scraped his pockets for loose change.

"Aww crap. I left my wallet in the clubroom!"

"I'll buy, silly," I sighed in faux annoyance. Naruto beamed gratefully at me. I managed to keep down the blush I knew was coming; I was much better at poker faces than Sakura. She never could defeat me at poker.

"So," he sighed, sitting down beside me on the cracked concrete. "I guess Sasuke and Sakura are going to start dating?"

I shrugged noncommittally, pressing the ice cold bottle to my forehead. It felt good.

"I didn't have a chance anyways. There was no way I could just butt into that world of theirs, you know?" He sighed again, not out of spite, but rather out of resignation.

This was _my_ chance. What was I waiting for? If Sakura, the girl I'd protected since preschool, could rise to the challenge, so could I.

"Well, Naruto-kun, it's okay, isn't it…?"

He turned sideways to look at me, perplexity in those blue eyes I'd gotten to know and love. "Hina—"

"They say one man's trash is another man's treasure…right?"

I reached out and grabbed his hand. It was warm, surprisingly so. I looked away from him to disguise my blush. I fought to regain control of my emotions before looking back and staring him straight in the eyes. Determined lavender on bewildered sky blue.

"I'm the one who thinks you're a treasure."

Naruto just stood there. For a moment, my heart sank. Had it not been enough?

But then he squeezed my hand in return, an unusual blush staining his cheeks and a faint smile playing on his lips.

* * *

**A/N: **I enjoyed writing this short, drabble-like omake. I really like the Hinata character in this story. It's what she's always wanted to be with Naruto—strong, loyal, and outgoing. Keep strong, Hinata!

Remember, you can still vote on the other two omakes. Leave a review stating your choice(s).

_**Choice 1: **__**An overview of Sasuke, Sakura, Hinata, and Naruto enjoying the festival—until both couples sign up for the Best Couple competition. Who will win?**_

_**Choice 2: **__**Sasuke and Sakura plan to go on a date, but Naruto hears about it and convinces Hinata to help him spy on them and interfere with the date.**_

_**Choice 3:**__** A guy who has a crush on Sakura gets on Sasuke's nerves.**_

_**Choice 4: **__**Your opinion! Offer an idea, and I'll get back to you!**_

**Please vote; it'll take a minute of your time at most. I will reply to each and every review, fo'sho'.**

Thanks for reading & reviewing!

~**Haunted**_Moonlight~_


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